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Big E,[p]Colder meats will have a better color, because they form the pink of a smoke ring only until the meat reaches 140.[p]On the other hand, if the meat is room temperature, it'll shave a little time of treduce the time needed for the cook a bit.[p]gdenby

Big E, Most recipes from professional chefs will tell you to allow beef to come to room temperature before cooking. About chicken, pork or veal, I dunno. Regardless of what I am cooking (with the exception of fish) I will always allow some post-refridge warming before doing a cook (especially if it's hi-heat). Can't recall the specifics right now but it's got something to do with the trauma of very cold meat suddenly being exposed to high cooking temperatures. Apparently the temperature change shocks the meat and can considerably alter the taste & tenderness of the steak, or whatever. Kind of the same thing in reverse when you let what you've cooked rest for 15-30 minutes after coming off the heat so that the juices can redistribute and not run off the cutting board and onto the floor. Got a few books to go back & read to better explain the science of it all.[p]Rascal[p]

Big E, you did say before grilling. Leaving meat out of the fridge for a while before grilling won't be a problem. Just in case you don't know, there is the rule of getting meat from below 40 degrees to above 140 in lass than 4 hours as a safety precaution because of bacteria. And that is 4 hours total, including the ride home from the market, prep time, etc. As for letting meat warm up before grilling, I have read quite a few tips saying to do that, so I generally take the meat out the fridge about 1/2 hour before putting it in the egg.